Ichimaru was woken up a few hours later, and the three demons resumed the hunt. If something happened between his sister and the bear demon, none of them showed any sign of it, and he thought it was better not to ask. He had already provoked him enough towards Sazume.
Besideds, they were too close to their prey.
“Noticed something strange about these trails?”, he asked Kumari when they stopped to check footprints on the sandy ground.
“It looks like there’re two of them, but a third pair of steps appears sometimes. One of them should be running ahead of their group, scouting and returning, the same way you did yesterday.”
“Or, he’s staying behind to watch their rear. That makes more sense when you’re running away.”
“It’s not just that. There’s no sign of the cart with the fireworks”, Sazume intervened. “That means they’re carrying it all this time.”
“Whoever they are, these guys are strong…” Kumari mumbled.
Now it was hard to follow their trail. They had reached a rocky, irregular terrain, where the smells and the footprints were not as noticeable as in the grass. Still, they managed to follow them to a depression, probably a dry lake.
Where they found nothing.
“Are you sure we’re not lost?”, Kumari asked.
“Of course! Their smell all over the place! They were here not long ago”, Ichimaru replied. “Even so, I can’t tell which side they went! Strange…”
Sazume looked around, trying to understand too. They were too close…The stench of brimstone was almost unbearable to her keen sense of smell. And it brought back very unpleasant memories. It felt like he was right there, next to her again…
“They’re still here!”, she concluded. “Ichi, Kumari, it’s a trap!”
They turned to her just in time to see a demon coming from behind a rock. He launched a huge fireball, and they jumped at her, barely saving her from the explosion, which threw rocks and dust over them.
“Damnit, I missed”, the attacker said with his deep voice.
Kumari stood up in a hurry to face him. He was big, way taller and stronger than the bear demon. The bare chest, his arms and the shaved head displayed black, red and orange tattoos that mixed in a complex pattern. He wore baggy dark pants, black boots and heavy metal gauntlets.
“Either way, it was a great shot, Jin!”, a feminine voice said, coming out from behind the rock too. “Your explosions are improving every day.”
“Thanks, sister.”
“Who are you?”, Kumari shouted, calling the warrior girl’s attention. Despite being called “sister” by the other demon, she was his complete opposite. Thin and apparently agile, her bare feet stepped smoothly over the rocks, while her hands played over her naginata’s red hilt – a spear with a long, curved blade. She had short, orange hair, and her clothes displayed the same colors of her brother’s tattoos.
“I’m Megumi. The big guy here is Sajin. I thought your friends would have already told you about us by now.”
“You know them?”, Kumari asked the dog demons.
“Unfortunately…”, Ichimaru grumbled. “They’re the sons of Houji, chief of the fire demons’ tribe.”
“Well, well, look who’s here!”, a sarcastic voice sounded behind them.
Kumari was the only one who seemed surprised with the arrival of the demon with long, dark red hair. He wore a red and orange outfit beneath the black light armor, and brought an orange-hilted wakizashi at his waist.
“Mikami…” Sazume spitted the name as a bitter taste.
“Don’t look me like that! You’ll make me think you didn’t miss me at all… my beautiful bride.”
